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J. HUDSON. WHEEL FOR VELOGIPEDES. No. 339,550. PatentedApr. 6, 1886.

FIG.|

UNITED STATES PATENT OErIcE.

JAMES HUDSON, OF BIRMINGHAM, COUNTY OF IVARVICK, ENGLAND.

WHEEL FOR VELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.339,550, dated April 6, 1886.

Serial No. 174,993.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES HUDSON, a sub jectof the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Tennant Street, Birmingham, in the county of Varu'ick, England, manufacturer, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Rims or Tires of Vheels for Bicycles, Trieycles, and other Vehicles, (for which I have obtained provisional protection for a patent in Great Britain, No. 64, bearing date January 2, 1885,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Hitherto the rims of wheels similar to those described in the title have been 'either drawn from weldless tubes or from sheetsteel and soldered on the outside of the tube; but either of these two methods is objectionable-the first on the ground of expense, and the second on the ground of the disiigurement of the outer surface of the tube by the solder upon the joint.

In the tubing for my improved rim I roll or otherwise forni the strip of metal of which it is constructed to any desired strength, but thickened in its center. This is for the purpose oi' giving the desired strength to the under side of the rim, through which holes to re ceive the spokes are drilled. I then draw the tube of which the rim is afterward formed iu the usual manner, and by preference the joint isin thehollow of the rim. It will be understood that by this means I can produce a rim with a clean surface, and the joint being protected under the india-rubber tire,v it is not liable to perish. In some cases I employ rolls to i'orin the said tubes, instead of drawing them through dies.

Instead ot' drawing the tubes of which my improved rim is formed from sheet-steel, I in some cases use steel or iron tubes.

I will now describe, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the manner in which my invention is to be performed.

Similar letters of reference denote the similar parts in each figure in which they occu'r.

Figure I is a section through a tube constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a section through a wheel-tire made of tube constructed according to my invention, showing, also, the india-rubber tire and the attach ment of a spoke. Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of a wheel-tire as above. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a strip of metal rolled to a suitable section for making a tube according to my invention. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a circular' tube of suitable section for making a tube according to my invention.

A tube made according to my invention is semicireular and concave on the upper side, and nearly senii-elliptical and convex on the under side, as shown in Fig. I, where A is the metal where of ordinary thickness; B, the thickened part-at the bottom for receiving the spokes; C, the joint, andl) thebrazing, which is placed so as to be hidden by the india-rubber tire E, Fig. 2.

In Fig. 2, A is the ordinary thickness of the metal; B, the thickened part, E, the india-rubber tire, and Fthe spoke.

The same parts and reference-letters occur in Fig. 3.

.Tn Fig. 4, A A show the metal strip where of the ordinary thickness, and B shows the thickened part, which I place, by preference, in theniiddle. Y

In Fig. 5, which shows a round tube,wliieh is afterward drawn through dies to bring it to the required shape, G shows the metal of ordinary thickness, and H the thicker part. When the tube is drawn to the required section, the part H becomes B, Figs. 1,2, and 3.

I am aware that tubular Wlieelrims have heretofore been made either from previouslyprepared tubes or from strips of metal to which the required shape has been imparted.

I am also aware that such rims have been thickened where attached to the spokes. This thickening of the tubular rims has, however, been generally accomplished either by forniing the joint of the tube on its under side and lapping or doubling the edges of such joint, or else by forming a butt-joint and soldering or brazing a strip of metal over said joint to cover it. Both these methods, however, differ from my within-described invention, in that I form the joint in the upper concaved side ofthe rim beneath the rubber tire and diainetrically opposite the thickened portion of the tubular riin, such thickened portion being, moreover, integral with the texture 0f the rim and formed therein while thelatter is TOO being rolled or drawn into shape. By forniing the thickened under side of the tubular rim in this manner I avoid the difficulty and expense of soldering or brazing a strip to the rim for the purpose of securing the required thickness, as Well as the liability of such strip becoming Worn or detached.

My construction also affords a more irni and durable support for the spokes than can be secured by making a lap-joint on the under side of the rim and attaching the spokes therein.

Having fully described my invention,what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Paten 1scnedl at the center, in combination with en rubber tire set in the periphery of said rim', as set forth.

JAMES HUDSON.

Witnesses: Y

J. EMERY DAyIEs, Y

Solicitor, Birmingham, England. CHARLES JoH-NsToNE,

His clerk. 

